Rutgers' Delon Stephenson, bottom, could play either safety or corner. (AP photo)

PISCATAWAY — Kyle Flood didn’t exactly give a ringing endorsement at the free safety position Saturday, and early returns point to a gradual learning curve for a secondary that returns only three seniors.

“I don’t know that I’m comfortable in many places right now,” Flood said when asked about free safety. “We’ve got a lot of players back, but we’re at the early stages of what we’re doing as a football team. We’ve got a long way to go.”

Johnathan Aiken is the incumbent at free safety, but he started only three games a year ago, filling in because of injury. He often played in the team’s subpackages on passing downs.

Delon Stephenson figures to challenge him, but not even the coaching staff knows where he will play in 2014. He said he took some snaps Saturday at cornerback inside Rutgers’ practice bubble.

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“Me and Delon, we’re natural safeties, but we’re natural athletes because we can really go anywhere,” Aiken said. “Right now we’re kind of going back and forth with the free safety. He likes it, I like it.”

Aiken, an early enrollee in 2011, spent his first two semesters at corner before moving to the back end. He has appeared in 21 games in three seasons, recording 25 tackles. A prep season delayed Stephenson’s arrival at Rutgers, but he recorded an interception in his only start, also prompted because of injury.

He says he can play either near the line of scrimmage or as the last line of defense.

“That’s why the coaches put me out there today,” Stephenson said. “They knew I pretty much remembered from last year what I had to do at corner, and I also knew what I had at safety.” Safeties in new defensive coordinator Joe Rossi’s defense must know both positions. They will rarely be required to flip-flip based on an offense’s alignment, but assignments could change depending on the play side.

The free safety and strong safety, two-year starter Lorenzo Waters, each relay calls to the corners on their side of the field.

“Say if I guy went down, God forbid, and I had to move over, I need to know that without being on the field like, ‘Oh, man,’” Aiken said. “(Rossi) wants both of us to be interchangeable. Delon and I study free and strong. ’Zo studies strong and free.”

Rossi has drawn positive reviews from players, who praise his attention to detail. He served as interim coordinator during Rutgers’ Pinstripe Bowl loss to Notre Dame after the Scarlet Knights ranked 100th nationally in passing efficiency defense.

Rutgers finished 120th in passing yards allowed last season.

Rossi worked closely with Aiken and, at times, Stephenson, a year ago when he doubled as safeties coach and special teams coordinator. They appear his top options in his first season at a position without much depth.

Jeremy Deering, a former running back and wide receiver, lined up at free safety a year ago and struggled. A similar change isn’t likely.

“Some players can take (coaches’ criticism) and use it to motivate them and do well,” Aiken said. “Others can shut down and go in the corner. For me, I had that experience of coming in early and ... using the spring to help me out. Now it benefits me to the point where I know the defense and I can help younger guys.”

NOTES: Flood said he plans to shrink reps for certain quarterbacks after Saturday’s practice. Five, including 28-game starter Gary Nova, have shared snaps this week in an open competition. “Those are decisions between now and (Tuesday) that we’re going to have to come together as a staff and make,” Flood said. ... Rutgers has used helmet cams from Schutt to evaulate its quarterbacks vision and decision-making. “It’s really been a helpful teaching tool,” Flood said.